1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication apparatus and to a method of controlling the communication apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A technique known in the art makes it possible for a client PC (personal computer) that does not support a printing protocol such as LPR (Line Printer Remote) to execute printing via a printer server (see the specification of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-187113). In accordance with Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-187113, a printer server controls a printer so as to perform printing based upon print data that a client personal computer has written to a file stored in a recording unit of the printer server. As a result, if the client personal computer supports a file sharing protocol such as NFS (Network File System), then the client personal computer is capable of executing printing through the intermediary of the printer server even if the computer does support the printing protocol.
According to a further technique known in the art, a communication apparatus such as a personal computer writes a command to a file stored in a recording unit of a control apparatus such as a printer server, and the control apparatus executes processing in accordance with the written command. If this technique is used and the communication apparatus supports a file sharing protocol, then the communication apparatus can cause the control apparatus to execute processing in accordance with the command even if the communication apparatus does not support the control protocol of the control apparatus. For example, a client personal computer that does not support the above-mentioned printing protocol is capable of causing a printer server to execute printing based upon print data and, in addition, is capable of causing the printer server to acquire the operating status of the printer and to perform detailed print settings and the like.
In a case where the recording unit of the above-described control apparatus has been set to write inhibit, the communication apparatus cannot deliver a command to the control apparatus via a file that has been stored in the recording unit. As a consequence, there is a possibility that the user of the communication apparatus will operate the communication apparatus in an attempt to cause the control apparatus to execute processing in accordance with a command of some kind without the user being aware of the fact that the recording unit of the control apparatus has been set to write inhibit. A write error will occur in such case. To the user, however, who has operated the communication apparatus for the purpose of causing the control apparatus to execute processing, writing to the recording unit is not the immediate purpose. Consequently, there is the possibility that the user will not be able to comprehend the cause of the write error and, as a result, will not be able to understand why processing by the control apparatus is not executed normally. Further, even in a case where the user can comprehend the cause of the write error, the user will realize the fact that the control apparatus does not accept a command only after the user actually operates the communication apparatus in an attempt to cause the control apparatus to execute processing in accordance with some sort of command. It is likely that a situation of this kind will detract from the user friendliness of the communication apparatus.